FORT PILAR SHRINE: EVE OF FIESTA PILAR (NIGHT SHOTS) @OCTOBER 2011

The highlight of the Fiesta Pilar 2011 is the religious devotion.

We are now on our way to the Fort Pilar Shrine. We pass by the National Museum in Fort Pilar and the Plaza Del Pilar. We see family and friends along the way.

And these guys, who happen to be vendors also requested for their shots to be taken. We enter the Fort Pilar Shrine.

Usually, the Cruz Mayor of the Shrine is our first stop. The cross is now black in color and made of granite. In the prior decade, it was a white cement cross, which became a brown "creative stone" mosaic cross and now a black granite cross. (Refer to article: FORT PILAR THROUGH THE YEARS September 26, 2011) This is our first stop as we offer the candles we bring!

.Everyone offers their prayers here.

.Then, we bring our candles to the area where we light the fire.

Not everyone brings the huge Chinese candles with the golden dragons.

Many also offer the usual colored candles, with everyone having their own reasons for choosing the colors of their candles.

Many also line up to images of Jesus, Mother Mary and the saints.

We see here Mayor Celso Lobregat of Zamboanga City. 

.And, we continue to pray before the altar.

We also see our friends offering their talents of flower arrangement, decoration and design as they beautify the altar.

The Shrine is full of flowers and even more beautiful this year.

In this side are the carillon bells.

It is a beautiful night and so peaceful.

Thank you, our patroness, the Nuestra Señora Virgen del Pilar de Zaragosa for being Zamboanga's mediatrix! Here are some data gathered from Wikipedia about our Fiesta Pilar.

The Hermosa Festival also known as Zamboanga La Hermosa Festival or popularly known as Fiesta Pilar a month-long festival held each year in the city ofZamboanga,^[1] the city center of Zamboanga Peninsula Region in the Philippines. It is one of the Oldest Festival in the Country and the most awaited Event in the Region.

The Festival is being held in honor of the miraculous image of Our Lady of the Pillar (Spanish and Chavacano: Nuestra Señora del Pilar), the patroness of Zamboanga City which is held in every 12 October. It is also the patroness of Zaragoza in Spain, the sister city of Zamboanga in Philippines.^[2]

History

The Zamboanga La Hermosa Festival embedded in Zamboanga’s rich history of devotion to the Nuestra Señora del Pilar that is supplemented by rich legends.

In the Spanish Era, Zamboanga was an integral part of Spanish Colonization. In 1635, the Spaniards built a fort in Zamboanga named 'Real Fuerza de San Jose in Brgy. Zone IV area to secure them against the attacks of the moro warriors. Spaniards held the city as a seat of government and became the cultural center of the south, and was deeply seated in Hispanic heritage and tradition.

In 1734, The Lady's was brought to the fort as a front piece for the main entrance. The western side of the fort was converted into a shrine for The Lady when the fort was rebuild in 1860 and the fort was renamedReal Fuerza de Nuestra Señora Virgen del Pilar and some also called the fort as Real Fuerza de Nuestra Señora Virgen del Pilar de Zaragoza because of the same name of the Basilica in Zaragoza, Spain.^[3]

The city’s devotion to the Lady of Pilar was legendary, because of the wealth of stories, miracles, and apparitions surrounding the virgin for the past few years in the city as people what believed.^[4]

Features

The festival features so many different activities such us street dance competition were different schools in the city are fighting for the title, from the street to the main event which everyone will show their best talent. Major activities include the Wow Zamboanga showing the different tastes, talents and ideas to shows what your barangay has that others are not; Regatta De Zamboanga were the famous Vintas of Zamboanga are racing to win the title, one of the most awaited event in the festivities; Cosechas De Zamboanga, sports events, musical concerts, agriculture-trade fairs, fashion show, chavacano song festival, Miss Zamboanga and other special events to be held every year.^[5]